The present invention relates generally to a system for protecting electronic components, and particularly to a system for protecting electronic components disposed on printed circuit boards.
Typically, electronic components are installed on printed circuit boards for use in a variety of electrical devices. Electronic components often are built with metal conductive leads to electrically couple the component to the printed circuit board. Typically, the electronic component is placed on a surface of the printed circuit board and the metal leads are soldered to thin layers of copper, called traces, on the printed circuit board. The traces form conductive paths that allow electricity to flow through the printed circuit board.
Soldering serves two purposes. First, soldering helps physically secure the electronic component to the printed circuit board, and second, soldering ensures a good electrical connection between the electronic component and the traces. As an alternative to soldering, electronic components, such as computer chips and memory modules, are inserted into sockets predisposed on the printed circuit board. When the electronic component is inserted into the socket, the leads of the component are electrically coupled by the socket to the traces in the printed circuit board. Typically, a printed circuit board also contains an electrical connector to electrically couple the printed circuit board to another electrical device.
The nature of the electrical components/printed circuit board connections makes the assembled printed circuit boards especially susceptible to damage from mishandling. Dropping a printed circuit board to the floor can effectively ruin the board and any components mounted to it. Damage can occur not only to the electronic components but also to the solder bonds between electronic components and the printed circuit board. Furthermore, computer chips and memory modules can be dislodged from their sockets. Such damaged or dislodged electronic components can be extremely difficult to spot visually. Thus, if a board is dropped during assembly the damage may go undetected until operation of the device is attempted.
Mishandling also can occur when replacing or upgrading electronic components. For example, memory modules are one of the more commonly upgraded features of a computer. Purchasing additional memory modules in order to increase a computer systems memory is fairly common. Furthermore, most computer manufacturers build an upgrade capability into their systems. For example, computer manufacturers routinely install extra sockets on the printed circuit boards so that additional memory elements can be added at a later date. Alternatively, extra slots are reserved in an electrical device so that additional printed circuit boards containing memory modules can be added. Typically, however, in order to upgrade a computer""s memory, or repair a damaged memory module an operator must access the interior of the computer, thus exposing the operator to a potential electric shock.
Therefore, it would be advantageous to have a system that could allow electronic components to be removed from an electrical device while protecting electrical components from mishandling and minimizing the potential for electric shock.
In addition, many circuit boards are secured within an electronic device by removable fasteners, such as screws. Thus, an inventory of removable fasteners must be maintained during assembly of an electronic device. In addition, the fasteners must be removed and retained whenever the board is removed. In addition, a tool, such as a screwdriver typically is used to install and/or remove fasteners. In such cases, a tool must be provided to enable the board to be secured or removed from the electronic device. All of these factors increase the time and expense of assembly and disassembly of an electronic device. Therefore, a need exists for a system or method to enable a circuit board to be secured to an electronic device without a removable fastener and without use of a tool.
A protective assembly for an electronic component is featured. The electronic component may be disposed on a printed circuit board. The protective assembly may be adapted to prevent the electronic component from contacting a planar surface, such as a table top or the floor, when the assembly is disposed against the planar surface. The printed circuit board may be secured to the protective assembly without use of a tool or a removable fastener.
According to another aspect of the present invention, a method for assembling an electronic device is featured. The method may comprise disposing an electronic component, such as a memory module, on a printed circuit board and placing the printed circuit board within a protective assembly. The printed circuit board may be secured to the protective assembly by disposing the printed circuit board relative to the protective assembly. The printed circuit board may be secured to the protective assembly without use of tools or without a removable fastener.